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Hotaru Imai
Hotaru Imai (今井 蛍 Imai Hotaru) is Mikan Sakura's best friend. Her transfer to Alice Academy was the catalyst for Mikan's transfer, and thus, the start of the story. Hotaru is an elementary student and posesses the Invention Alice. She is a three-star and considered to be an elite student of the school along with Yuu Tobita. She belongs to the Technical Class. Hotaru is considered to be the blackmailing queen; her hobby is to take embarassing pictures of Ruka Nogi and make money out of it from his fanclub. Her older brother is Subaru Imai, who is also a studying in the Academy. Hotaru is voiced by Rie Kugimiya in the anime and Miyuki Sawashiro in the Drama CD. Appearance and Personality Hotaru has short black hair that gives her a more mature look than her fellow classmates. Hotaru has purple eyes, which she's known for. Her elementary branch uniform has a blue shirt, tied red bow, black knee-high boots, a red plaid skirt, and a white collar with three stars. She is commonly seen using her inventions mostly to Mikan. Examples: Baka Gun, Baka Cannon, Filming Glasses, Infrared Ray Goggles, Watch-shaped Camera, Recorder Ring, Communication Ear Mufflers, Fragrant Pig Nose, Tip Toe Socks, Horse Hoof Glove, Deer Hoof Glove, etc. Also, Hotaru is seen breaking the wall and explaining her inventions to the audience; though her classmates see her explaining her inventions to nobody. Hotaru is intelligent, logical, extremely rational, and has a foul mouth and she's also quiet when everyone in her class is so noisy. She also can come across as rather detached and downright threatening when she wants to. She is rather rude, even with her older brother, and, though she appears civil, she is actually a very lazy person and really needed a money to make an new invention to do the work for her. She has many foreigners to support her by giving her money. She seems always calm and apathetic towards other people, even when she is conflicted, and is seldom surprised. She also borders a certain level of arrogance, which other students find annoying about her. Although generally serious, Hotaru also has a comedic side. She is a gourmand, who takes pleasure in food, and is often seen eating throughout the series, as such she is described as a pig. As a businessminded person, Hotaru loves making money and often results to extortion to get what she wants. Her favorite blackmailing victim happens to be Ruka, whom she takes picture of during his embarrassing moments. In spite of her indifferent nature, Hotaru cares for her friends. She is particularly protective of her best friend Mikan and enjoys torturing her many admirers, especially Ruka and Natsume. Story Background Hotaru is ten years old when the series begins. Her older brother, Subaru, was five years old when she was born and already living in the academy. Like many Alice children wanted by the academy, Hotaru moved several times with her parents to avoid being taken by the academy. Her parents deeply regretted sending Subaru to the school and didn't want it to come claim Hotaru. By the fourth grade, Hotaru enrolled into Mikan's school in a small village. At first, they did not like each other due to their different personalities. However, the two became friends when Hotaru asked Mikan if they could enter in a singing and dancing contest together, which they won. From then onwards, they became best friends and they started doing everything together, despite that they fought constantly. However, Hotaru had to leave because her former school was shutting down and by going to Alice Academy, she could get money to help keep the school open. Also, Hotaru's mother said they have been fleeing from the government lately, so letting Hotaru go to the academy wasn't really a choice. Hotaru gave one of her inventions to Mikan (which was Turtle Mail that sent the letter explaining Hotaru's departure) before she left. Before leaving, she was confronted by Mikan, who was the last person to learn of her departure. She touches Mikan's sad face and asks her not to cry. In a special chapter, Hotaru's life in the academy before Mikan came was revealed. Hotaru came to the academy with a Double Star rank and distanced herself from others with the help of her inventions (she kept an invention over her head). Because of this, many of her classmates disliked her and bullied her. Hotaru stopped wearing the invention over her head when Iinchou told her that if she gets the Best Student Award, she was allowed to go home. This made Hotaru try hard so she could see Mikan and her parents. She sent a letter to Mikan after a few months, explaining she was fine and that Mikan should be expecting Hotaru to come to the village. This made Mikan worried and she ran away to the academy just to be with Hotaru. Best Friends Reunited Hotaru and Inchou are the class representatives, so with the decision of Mikan's transfer, they had to show her around the school. Obviously shocked, Hotaru didn't know that the new student would be Mikan, wonders why she is here, and tells her to stay for a while, because Mikan was crying. She then tells Mikan to stop crying and hugs her. (But not after calling her "Nose-Drip Girl and dummy) She and Iinchou then take her to their class and this makes Mikan excited and not listen to Hotaru saying her name. Hotaru then uses her Horse Hoof Glove to hit her and get her to listen. She tells her that she wants to get the best student award. She tells Mikan they should act like they're complete strangers. Hotaru then watches Mikan making a fool of herself and saves her by hitting Mochiage when he tried to punch Mikan. Hotaru told Sumire that she was the only one who could make Mikan cry, and told Mikan that she just lost the chance for the best student award. Northern Woods Arc Hotaru goes into the northern woods with Mikan and Iinchou, so that their classmates accept Mikan. Hotaru supplies the ride through the woods with her duck flying scooter invention when Mikan and Inchou were stuck in quicksand and they noticed a sign that had a button saying "Save Me!"; causing one of them to push the button. While in the Northern Woods, they see Mr. Bear and Hotaru hides in her Caterpillar 1 invention to protect her when Mr. Bear starts punching, kicking and throwing Mikan into the air. Iinchou asks Hotaru to help Mikan, so she remote-controlled her giraffe car to pour a bucket full of water on Mr. Bear. The group then leaves before Mr. Bear comes to life. Iinchou explains Hotaru's Alice, which is Invention Alice and how it lets her make inventions (so Hotaru was using her Alice while at Mikan's former school). She then tells Mikan that she should learn to take care of herself before coming to the academy, but also says that she and Iinchou will help Mikan so she can get into the academy. Hotaru then answers Mikan's questions about Natsume and then a hungry Piyo appears. This surprises them and this causes Mikan, Iinchou, and Hotaru to run away. They come across a bush and Hotaru told Iinchou to use his Alice since it has been a while. Iinchou's Alice is Illusion Alice. Inchou uses his Alice to trick Ruka into coming to the Northern Woods so that Ruka could take care of Piyo. When Ruka refuses, she convinces him by telling him that Hotaru would hit Piyo with a sleeping dart. Hotaru then takes pictures and sells them to girls from the elementary branch when Ruka used his Alice on Piyo. When Natsume arrives later, Hotaru saves Mikan, but gets surrounded by Natsume's flames. She is saved by Mikan's Alice and says that Mikan's Alice is a selfish one that fits her perfectly. But Hotaru is somehow happy that Mikan is now in the academy with her. After the Northern Woods Arc She tells Mikan that she is the Technical class with Nonoko and is at the tea party when Mikan was introducing Tsubasa and explains the Mark of Punishment to Mikan. Hotaru is on Mikan's team at the dodgeball match and wears her eggshell mask to protect her face. When Mikan goes in a crazy frenzy she accidentally hits Hotaru's face since she took her mask off making her get out of the game. This does not stop Hotaru from helping by using her inventions to punish those who broke the rules to not use their Alice. Although in the anime, Hotaru doesn't wear an eggshell mask, but gets out of the game because she said she was bored. In the next chapter, Hotaru tells Mikan that everyone has to endure with not seeing their love ones, but gives in and helps her. She then attaches an eye sticker to Mikan's letter to hear if Narumi-sensei really did send the letter. Later, she and Iinchou tried to give a punished Mikan food, but was unable to do that, so they made Ruka do it. Hotaru then gave Mikan supplies to escape and unfortunately for Mikan, it did not work well. At the end of the chapter, Hotaru was selling pictures of Ruka dressed as a girl to girls. She got them from using her spy bug invention. Reo Arc Hotaru along with Mikan, Koko, Kitsuneme, and Iinchou go on a mission to meet Reo by using her inventions. However, Hotaru is caught by one of the doctors at the hospital who thinks she's cute. While Reo is leaving the academy Mikan reveals that Reo has kidnapped Natsume. Hotaru reacts by throwing a flashbomb to the ground, which give time for Mikan and Sumire time to run out of the school through the gate of the school. When the teachers doubt Reo's crime Hotaru shows them the Recorder Ring that Mikan used to record Natsume's kidnapping. Hotaru's Panda Ears become estensial in communcation between Mikan, Natsume, and Sumire who were captured by Reo. At the end of the arc she later graduates Mikan for becoming a One Star. Before Alice Festival In the next chapter, Hotaru drops a blackmailed picture in front of Ruka and he chases after her. Hotaru and Ruka come across Narumi and Misaki having a conversation about Mikan visiting her grandfather. Hotaru doesn't know Sumire's brother and had a hard time selling her blackmailed pictures. This makes Sumire's brother sad and he leaves. She comforts Mikan who is unhappy that her class is unpopular at the festival and tells her to leave when she she starts struggling and crying under her arm. She helps Mikan beg Natsume to take Mikan to Central Town. Hotaru then hits Mikan with one of her inventions when she got to excited and goes to sell it. She then helps Mikan earn money to buy some Howalon. Alice Festival Hotaru is having an auction and one of her items is Pigula Number 3. She demonstrates it and impresses her buyers who look like billionaires from around the world. Sumire explains how Hotaru gained the Technical class' two sponsors and more from the auction, which makes her very impressive. She later hangs around with Mikan at the festival, until an accident occurs. Hotaru approaches the person who took charge of the situation and it turns out to be her brother, Subaru Imai. This surprises everyone and the two go to talk alone (though Mikan and Iinchou were hiding, listening to their conversion and Mikan feels betrayed since Hotaru never told her). It turns out this is the first time they meet, because Subaru was brought to the academy before she was born. The conversation ends when Hotaru asks why he didn't want to see their parents. Subaru states that it was unnecessary to meet them and Hotaru wonders if she will become as cold-hearted as Subaru. She tells Mikan that her parents regretted sending Subaru at the academy before they could teach him the important things in life. Hotaru also says that by meeting Mikan she probably won't become like that. Hotaru, at the dance, wears a crown, because she won a individual award. Hotaru has many admirers who wish to dance with her, but she ignores them. After Mikan and Ruka dance, Hotaru grabs Ruka's hand and tells Ruka that (Mikan) is so slow, which he doesn't understand. She then chooses Mikan to be her partner for the last dance. Z Arc Hotaru and Mikan goes against the rules and go outside to see the people who stole Iinchou's Alice. Hotaru isn't worried about this, because she heard that the intruders were captured from her Communication Ear Mufflers. Hotaru and Mikan's mission is to put a tracker on a Z member. (She was working hard on this, because Iinchou is an important part of their class and he was the first to approach her when she came to the academy). They heard a loud sound and came across Z members who were unknown to them. Hotaru was hit by a poison bullet that was aimed at security, but was going to hit Mikan. She is severely injured and taken to the hospital for surgery. They are able to take the bullet out without any harm to her, but a new poison was found spreading quickly through her body. Her brother is then put in charge of stabilizing the spread of the poison. While asleep, her first word is "mother." When she finally wakes up, she calls Mikan a pig for crying and tells her not to cry and that she will be fine. Hotaru's sickness, along with linchou's alice being stolen causes Mikan, Natsume, Ruka, and Tsubasa to travel to the Z Organization to get a cure for Hotaru's sickness and to get linchou's stolen Alice. To the group's surprise, she let an invention of hers, Penguin, to tag along. Penguin stayed throughout the journey, but it sacrifices itself to get Hotaru's cure. Hotaru is then seen commenting that Penguin is an idiot in her hospital bed. As she wakes up she imagines Penguin at her beside. When she is given the cure from her brother, he tells her that it was from a friend and that everyone spent a lot of effort to get it. Upon being reunited with Mikan, Hotaru tells Mikan she knows everything that has happened (including Penguin's death). She then calls Mikan a crybaby, while wiping away a tear and smiles at her. The two then hug and the rest of Class B (minus Natsume) share a group hug. Chrismas Ball Hotaru, at the ball, meets her brother; which starts a sibling fight. Later, she gives Ruka an unappealing cake, knowing he was the cause for Mikan's odd behavior. Hotaru then hides in an ugly mask to hide from her fans and meets her brother who is doing the same. The two are seen dancing with each other, but both were trying to step on each other's feet. Hana Hime Arc Hotaru was one of the girls to be invited into the Hana Hime, with Ruka, Natsume and Youichi tagging along, and also Mikan who won the chance to come. The group arrives and meet Hi-sama, who drools when she meets her. This makes Hotaru ask if Hi-sama is a 'freak', but is told that she is a 'weirdo' who is the protector of the school. The event starts and Hotaru is invinted by the Hana Hime members and plays games with them. While Hotaru and everyone were trying to find Natsume, they run into Hayate, who she fought with her fan; which could also produce air attacks. Hayate, who is angry at this, breaks her egg mask with his Alice and gains a huge crush on her. Hayate then follows her asking her questions and she ignores him. As Rui appears, Hotaru hits him with her Baka Gun when Rui tries to attack the group. She then speaks to Rui that her Baka Gun hit him by itself and threatened to hit her Baka Gun at Hayate when he tries to warn her about Rui. Ruka, Mikan, and Hotaru then leave while Tsubasa and Youichi fight to find Natsume. After hearing Ruka and Natsume's past story, the three split up. Hotaru calls Mikan via Communication Ear Mufflers to inform her they had found Natsume. She is behind Natsume with Ruka telling Mikan to come behind Natsume, because his Alice would protect them from Nobara's Ice Alice. Hotaru, like Mikan and Ruka, gets her neck stung by a bug controlled by Yakumo. After Persona inflicts his Alice on Mikan, Hotaru attempts to use her Baka Gun on him, but Mikan pushes him away, seeing that he could inflict Hotaru, too. She and everyone then go to the hospital to see her brother, Subaru. At the hospital, Hotaru tries to blackmail her brother to cure Mikan. She then helped spread the news about Aoi not having an Alice at the academy. Hotaru witnesses Mikan use her second Alice (Stealing Alice). Hotaru and everyone else said goodbye to Aoi at the front gate. Sports Festival Arc Hotaru is put on the White Team. She is a participant in the obstacle race and was able to pass through the giant plant stage by using her light bumblebee back to fly over it. At the next stage the, cosplay stage, Hotaru was dressed as a codfish, much to her admirers to be disappointed, but they got over it quickly. She made it in time and weakly threw the baton to Natsume. After the cheerleading competition, Hotaru tried to befriend Luna, because she was suspicious of her. She almost got controlled by Luna's Alice, but was saved by Ruka who interfered, though she was getting out her Baka Gun to hit Luna. During the horseback race, Hotaru is a general for her team and builta robot to carry her teammates. She later grabs Mikan with her robot's arm near Luna, thus encouraging Mikan to fight Luna. Escape Arc During the soul shuffle chapters, Hotaru, while in Mikan's body, is confronted by Luna who says that Mikan has the Stealing Alice. In later chapters, Hotaru is sent to the principal's office; which was what happened in Mikan's dream the other night. When Mikan is taken to the ESP's office, she and everyone else secretly follow her. Hotaru is reunited with Mikan when Mikan and Natsume escape and they promise that they will meet up again. Sometime later, she gets captured and gets taken to her punishment, but gets saved by Hayate. She and Mikan then are reunited once again and hug. It is then revealed that she went the office, because she was being sent to a foreign country. She and her brother, Subaru have an emotional talk that he never forgotten their parents and wants to be true siblings with her when she returns. Time Travel Arc She later joins in traveling into the past with everyone else. With Mikan's choice to leave the academy to be with her mother, she and Mikan hug promising that their friendship will last and that they will meet again. Like everyone else, she creates and gives Mikan an Invention Alice stone to help aide her while outside with her mother. High School Division Arc In the present time, Hotaru is worried from the news from Megane that her brother is under the control of Luna. When this is confrimed by Subaru standing in the middle of Fuukitai, she tells Mikan to move forward and leave her behind. She remembers their promise theat they would become true siblings when they meet again. Hotaru and Mikan share one last hug and Hotaru shortly kisses Mikan, as a sign of true friendship. Hotaru confesses to Mikan before she teleports, that she loves Mikan as a best friend, thanks Mikan for changing her, and tells her to continue to always smile. However, Mikan is unable to hear Hotaru's words. Jinno says to Hotaru that she will only be hurt for her chose to stay behind. Hotaru says that she wants to know and to feel the hardships Subaru have faced, as a way of bonding as brother and sister. She also says she has no regrets. Hotaru goes to Subaru's side who had been attacked by Jinno. She realized that he was trying to fight Luna's Alice inside him that causing her to cry. Both of them were save by Hayate and Youichi who came to the rescue. After that, she found out that she was holding Luna's Alice Stone, and realized that she had the Stealing Alice that belongs to Yuka Azumi. When Subaru asked her why she was crying, she said it was a secret and holding his hand as she said to herself that Mikan's Stealing Alice was the most wonderful Alice of all. Current Arc Hotaru is now noticeably sadden about Mikan no longer allowed to be with her friends anymore. She often looks off in the distance hoping to see Mikan's smiling face. Hotaru comes up with an idea to hide gifts to Mikan in fariy tale books, since letters or gifts will not reach her. She chooses to give Mikan a fairy tale book called "Rose Princess". She makes fun of Natsume for being illogical by creating Alice stones to send to Mikan, that she won't get and hurting himself in the process. Hotaru gives Natsume a book called "Rapunzel" that she feels fits his and Mikan's situation. Hotaru is at the Christmas dance and is waiting for someone. That person is Mikan who can't come to the party. She sent a Christmas card to her brother who also couldn't go, because he was caring for Nobara. Sakurano tells Hotaru that Subaru being who is didn't react much, but Sakurano could tell that Subaru apperciated and loved her card. When Mikan read Hotaru's message it said, "Don't keep on sleeping there." Hotaru reacts shocked of Reo's visit to the school, but remains calm, in order not to cause chaos among her fellow classmates. She is able to put her friends at ease and remind them of Mikan's situation that can be further damaged with their rash actions. She give them an invention she was working on called, mushroom earplugs that would be able to somewhat resist Reo's Voice Pheromone Alice. The mushroom earplugs also act as transmittors (so everyone could keep in constant contact) and can only be removed with the remote she has. On the day of the concert, she and the rest of Class B spread out in the theatre to listen on Reo. Hotaru even listens on Natsume, Ruka, Tsubasa, and Tono's conversation. She is surprised at their plan to overthrow the ESP themselves. This makes her more worried that it will put Mikan in an even deeper situation. She takes part in the fight against the ESP and his men, which temorarly ends when the injured ESP escapes. The teachers ask Nodacchi to teleport the students away for their own safety. Hotaru grabs Natsume and asks him to promise her that he will survive the fight and not break what bounds him and Mikan together. Hotaru tells him that if he doesn't promise this to her, she will never entrust him with Mikan. She switches places with him and Ruka, leaving them with the teachers while she leaves with the others. After hearing him promise her, she asks him to take good care of Mikan. She delivers her Baka Canon to Mikan so Mikan can defend herself. She also delivers a jar of medicine pills to Natsume, Ruka, Tsubasa, Tono and the teachers to heal their injuries, as well as tell them where the ESP is hiding. She telepathically tells them to save their school and save Mikan. After the ESP's defeat, Hotaru and her classmates teleport back to the building, and rush to aid an injured Mikan and a critically injured Natsume, who is having a near death moment. Hotaru finds her spider invention in Natsume's collar, and reveals that it was not only a tranqulizer but was to prevent Natsume from overusing his Alice. She hoped it could save his life but is unsure because his body is so severely damaged. When Mikan is unable to revive Natsume by sacrificing her Alices, Natsume is confirmed dead. Feeling that she is partly in fault for using the tranquilizer on Natsume, Hotaru pleads with Nodacchi to travel back in time and save Natsume. She wants to save Mikan from the heartbreak of losing Natsume after having already lost her parents. Nodacchi agrees, even though he tells her that they will have to accept Natsume's fate. Before leaving for the past, Hotaru promises to Mikan that she will return Natsume to her. Relationships Mikan Sakura Mikan and Hotaru are best friends. They met in the fourth grade and at first, Mikan didn't like her. But, when Hotaru told her that they should be partners in a singing contest, which they got first place in, they became famous in their town. Hotaru is the complete opposite of Mikan, who is cheerful and always smiling while Hotaru is serious and poker-faced. She is the reason why Mikan came to the academy. She gets annoyed with Mikan's constant clinging and tends to insult her or hit her with one of her inventions. However, despite how she treats Mikan, Hotaru truly cares for Mikan and loves her like a sister. She likes seeing Mikan's smile and even says that making Mikan cry while she smiles makes her cuter. In the anime, when Hotaru went to the academy, she made a robot of Mikan so that she wouldn't be lonely. She also tried to get the Best Student Award so that she could go back home to see her parents and Mikan. They are always together, but they fight frequently due to their opposing personalities. Hotaru does not think twice in hitting Mikan with her inventions or insult her, but to her this is tough love for Mikan. Despite this, they truly care about each other and are as close as sisters. In chapter 132 when they say their goodbyes, Hotaru tells Mikan that she loves her, and that it was her, not Mikan, who was helpless and that Mikan has the best Alice among everyone. Subaru Imai He is Hotaru's elder brother, the Representative of the Latent Ability Class, and Shuichi Sakurano's best friend. Both he and Hotaru seemed not to get along together very well although they were siblings.This was shown several times during the Christmas Ball, Valentine's Day, as an education trainee, Sports Festival and during swimming class. It was revealed that before Hotaru was born, Subaru was take by the academy at the age of 5.When Hotaru was about to go for time-trip, he said that he never forgot about his family, and hugged her as he said that they'll spend more time as siblings. Parents Hotaru's parents appear to have an affectionate relationship with their daughter. Her mother shed tears as she spoke to Mikan about Hotaru choosing to go Gakuen Alice, so that Mikan's school would stay open. Hotaru's parent's felt guilty for letting her older brother, Subaru go to Gakuen Alice at such a young age before they could teach him about life and love. They decided to hide Hotaru from the academy for as long as they could, so that they could teach her everything they couldn't teach Subaru. Ruka Nogi One of Hotaru's hobbies is taking pictures of him in awkward and embarassing situations and sellin g them to his animal friends and fans (members of the Natsume-Ruka Fan Club) to get money and food. Ruka does not like her because of her blackmailing him and teasing him, but his resistance only pleases her more to tease him. She is also very aware of Ruka's feelings for Mikan and enjoys to tease him about it. It is also hinted that she also may have some feelings for him because he is the only guy she likes to tease and blackmail. Natsume Hyuuga Hotaru is indifferent towards Natsume, who acts the same way. Mikan points out that they have similar personalities: both are poker-faced, blunt, and cold. She is aware of his feelings for Mikan and enjoys teasing him about them. She also knows that he is the one Mikan is falling for, and while she seems to approve of him, she battles with him over Mikan's attention (seen in chapter 142). In chapter 154, she has him promise that he will survive the battle with the ESP and not die, or else she will never entrust him with Mikan. When he promises, she tells him to take good care of Mikan and that only he can protect her. Hotaru expresses sadness when Natsume dies in chapter 167. She convinces Nodacchi to take her to the past in order to change Natsume's fate. Alice Hotaru has the Invention Alice (発明のアリス Hatsumei no Alice), which gives her the ability to invent many unusual and/or helpful things. Hotaru makes good use of this alice because although she shares her alice with others, her inventions are more popular. Some of her inventions include: Penguin; the Baka Gun; the Horse/Deer Hoof; Wormies; the Flying Swan Scooter; the Giraffe Car; Pigula Number 3; the Egg Mask and the Spy Bug. {C Later on in Chapter 133, it is revealed that Mikan inserted her with a Stealing Alice stone belonging to Yuka Azumi, Mikan's mother. Hotaru used it to steal Luna Koizumi's Soul-Sucking Alice from inside Subaru. File:Imai-Alice.jpg|Hotaru using her alice. File:HotaruAlice2.jpg|Hotaru's Flying Swan. File:HotaruHorseHoof.jpg|Hotaru using her Horse Hoof. Hotaru-inventions.jpg|Hotaru surrounded by some of her inventions - Girrafe Car, Wormies, Snail Mail. Trivia *Hotaru's name means 'firefly' in Japanese. *She is Tachibana Higuchi's favorite character in the series. However, as seen in an author's corner in the manga, while Higuchi was playing the Gakuen Alice video game, she was devastated at Hotaru's cruel behavior. *She is unable to swim and is so bad at it that Hotaru was commented to have a Non-Swimming Alice.Gakuen Alice Volume 16, Chapter 94 *Hotaru likes crabs, fish, peaches, and shrimp just like the author does. *Higuchi drew a 15 year version of Hotaru as a part of the 15 year old series during the Z arc. *Hotaru's Alice stone color is purple. References Category:Female Character Category:Character Category:Alice Category:Invention Alice Category:Stealing Alice Category:Elementary School Student Category:Technical Department